Chaz
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Agreed. I like Stephenson as a player but I don't think he is what the Suns need right now.
Predict which free agents the Suns sign
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Agreed. I like Stephenson as a player but I don't think he is what the Suns need right now.
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KloD
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He didn't like the backlash and it still goes on today. I really think that they have positioned Lebron to look like he gave the Heat a chance to improve, they can't and he will be able to say he gave them every opportunity. He doesn't want to be the bad guy again. I think he cares what fans think of him and I think he cares what his friends on the Heat think. Essentially he's providing a valid reason to leave and save face with his friends and the fans. Not all fans of course, but most outside of Miami will see that he carried that team and they can't do anything to get him any help. 3 max guys is not the way to build a team for the long haul. I'm hoping the league takes notice and these "super teams" end for the most part before it goes any further.
On a side note, this is the same reason I think it would be stupid for him to choose Houston. They will have about $57 million tied up in Lebron or Melo, Harden, and Howard. What kind of a team can they put around them? I really, outside of being a homer, think his best option for long term success is to come to the Suns and build a quality team around him. They have the money, the picks, and a bright future. If the can get a quality PF (doesn't have to be a max star) this year or next and have our centers improve and play defense, they could really build something special here and still remain good financially for the future. If Love stays in Minn. this year, they may finish 13th again and that pick would be ours, than our pick, and L.A. if they can finish 6th or better or at least get bumped back to 6th in the lottery. We are looking pretty right now. I'm hoping he sees that too and realizes this could be a very good thing for him.
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He never expected that backlash either and I can't see him putting himself through anything like that ever again. I never thought I'd say this but I think it's now down to Miami, Cleveland and Phoenix. We may be a distant 3rd but it's good publicity even still.
Steve
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Miami is probably still the runaway favorite, but Phoenix may have moved into second. The bad blood in Cleveland is so severe that they'll hate him all over again if he doesn't deliver a title. If he falls short in Phoenix, he can say, "Hey, I gave it my best shot."
slinslin
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I can't see why Lebron would go to Cleveland..
Kyrie Irving is absolutely overrated, he should have never been an allstar but can thank fans and the weak east for that.
Wiggins is years away, Bennett is a bust, Waiters is a headcase, Varejao is always injured, Tristan Thompson is worse than Markieff.
Lebron would struggly to get this team out of the East and would have to wait for those young guys to develop before he can challenge in Cleveland.
Kyrie Irving is absolutely overrated, he should have never been an allstar but can thank fans and the weak east for that.
Wiggins is years away, Bennett is a bust, Waiters is a headcase, Varejao is always injured, Tristan Thompson is worse than Markieff.
Lebron would struggly to get this team out of the East and would have to wait for those young guys to develop before he can challenge in Cleveland.
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CardsFan88
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If he were to go to Cleveland they would be strapped financially. They can basically only add Lebron, and maybe a low level free agent willing to come there for about the minimum. They could start making trades, but then they'd have to give up what we are already including, and maybe even relinquish draft picks. Perhaps they have one of the exceptions, but I'm not sure.
http://www.spotrac.com/cap-tracker/nba/2014/
Cleveland only has 16,825,195 in cap room to begin with, so they would have to unload salary, and some of the reason Lebron might want to come there, not to mention draft picks potentially. So whatever we're picturing Lebron would be joining, it would actually be less.
It's the complete opposite of here. We have young guys. We have extra draft picks coming. We have guys in their early prime like Dragic/Bledsoe. We can add a big level player Lebron might want like Bosh/Melo/Gasol. Perhaps even trade for Love.
Lebron's wife and perhaps some desire to reconnect with Cavs fans could win out, but championship wise, it's a poorer fit then here. But the wife/family pull could be very strong.
Of course Miami is still in the mix, but it looks like Miami can only bring in bargain basement players, and overall would probably be like other years where they didn't do much except add bargain basement players.
So I don't see how doing what they did before, barely anything, convinces him to stay. Why go through all of this, if it ends up netting roughly nothing more then his other years?
I think if Miami can only get bargain basement guys, he's gone. You don't do all of this to accept more of the same.
Who knows what happens, but I'm absolutely loving our chances.
Oh and one more thing, I hung out with my friend tonight and he was adamant that Lebron LOVES the nightlife out here. He'd know being a general manager/part owner.
http://www.spotrac.com/cap-tracker/nba/2014/
Cleveland only has 16,825,195 in cap room to begin with, so they would have to unload salary, and some of the reason Lebron might want to come there, not to mention draft picks potentially. So whatever we're picturing Lebron would be joining, it would actually be less.
It's the complete opposite of here. We have young guys. We have extra draft picks coming. We have guys in their early prime like Dragic/Bledsoe. We can add a big level player Lebron might want like Bosh/Melo/Gasol. Perhaps even trade for Love.
Lebron's wife and perhaps some desire to reconnect with Cavs fans could win out, but championship wise, it's a poorer fit then here. But the wife/family pull could be very strong.
Of course Miami is still in the mix, but it looks like Miami can only bring in bargain basement players, and overall would probably be like other years where they didn't do much except add bargain basement players.
So I don't see how doing what they did before, barely anything, convinces him to stay. Why go through all of this, if it ends up netting roughly nothing more then his other years?
I think if Miami can only get bargain basement guys, he's gone. You don't do all of this to accept more of the same.
Who knows what happens, but I'm absolutely loving our chances.
Oh and one more thing, I hung out with my friend tonight and he was adamant that Lebron LOVES the nightlife out here. He'd know being a general manager/part owner.
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I don't think it's so much him as it is his family (wife). I think you're selling the Cavs team a little short though. You could pick our group apart almost as easily. Regardless, I think Miami gets to keep him. Maybe we move into a close 2nd if Bledsoe is interested in talking him into coming to Phoenix. But it's so hard to read Eric, for all we know he might hate the area (or love it).
Steve
slinslin
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No you can't, our group was not one of the worst teams in the entire league last year and we had argueably the best backcourt in the league. Cleveland had none of that, their entire season was a joke and a disaster.
Deng also had some rumblings about how bad things were in Cleveland in regards to player-coach-management relations.
Phrazbit
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I think the coaching mess in Cleveland is a strong reflection on what people in the league think of that franchise. They struggled to give that job away. A bad owner who meddles, high expectations, cancerous locker room... if not for their dumb luck in the lotto they'd be in terrible shape. I don't expect them to land any of the marquee free agents.
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I find it hard to believe that Chris Broussard would be mistaken.
I think they made a good coaching hire and the addition of Wiggins will help their locker room. Will it be enough to move the franchise forward significantly? Probably not. But if he goes there it will be to keep his wife happy. He seems like the kind of man that might consider that. Okay, I don't really believe it happens either but I just can't move us into second place in the Lebron hunt. I hate to get my hopes up that high.
Steve
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Yes he did. I heard he was pretty miserable there and maybe a little shocked at just how bad it was.
Steve
slinslin
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Highly doubt that a 19yr old kid will change their locker room.
chickenhead
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I don't think it's a smokescreen; it's just leverage. I had nothing but criticism for The Decision, but in this case Lebron himself is not going on a circus tour. The agent's meetings buy time for Miami to create what may be Lebron's preferred situation, and simultaneously they keep other options open in case it doesn't work. Like when an advertising client puts its account in review: it may want to motivate its agency and stay put, but even then a better opportunity may appear.
Personally what I hope happens is that Lebron stays but the Heat don't get much better, or he goes somewhere else and the chase results in multiple teams foregoing assets the Suns take advantage of. Then the Suns win a championship without Lebron. (I don't care whether it's over Lebron or not. Upsets in the east would be fun.)
Has Hornacek made any comments that we know of?
Personally what I hope happens is that Lebron stays but the Heat don't get much better, or he goes somewhere else and the chase results in multiple teams foregoing assets the Suns take advantage of. Then the Suns win a championship without Lebron. (I don't care whether it's over Lebron or not. Upsets in the east would be fun.)
Has Hornacek made any comments that we know of?
CardsFan88
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The thing that benefits us is that he's letting his agent run things....
Not his wife. His current agent who doesn't have clients with the other 2.
His current agent can field offers and look at proposals and recommend something to Lebron.
I think he recommends us as Lebron's best shot, and it doesn't hurt that said agent also has a 2nd client who needs a new contract on that same team.
Now Lebron will choose whatever he wants, but I have a hard to thinking how any other team tops our offer. I just feel with everything going on, and how no one else stepped up to the plate to surpass our offer, we are indeed the best opportunity for Lebron and as with his agent running things, he'll let him know that.
LBJ's wife could change things, or he could somehow overlook the big whiff that has occurred in Miami to upgrade the team, but other then that I don't see a better basketball move then Phoenix. But I actually don't think it's too much of a shot. Miami's done nothing, and LBJ's wife already moved from Cleveland to Miami, so leaving Miami wouldn't be leaving Cleveland, and it's clear she could stop him from moving from Cleveland to Miami to begin with. So while it might be a factor, she's been overruled before and could easily again.
Though somehow the Lakers are in the mix again, but also could easily lose Gasol and perhaps that whole option implodes.
Not his wife. His current agent who doesn't have clients with the other 2.
His current agent can field offers and look at proposals and recommend something to Lebron.
I think he recommends us as Lebron's best shot, and it doesn't hurt that said agent also has a 2nd client who needs a new contract on that same team.
Now Lebron will choose whatever he wants, but I have a hard to thinking how any other team tops our offer. I just feel with everything going on, and how no one else stepped up to the plate to surpass our offer, we are indeed the best opportunity for Lebron and as with his agent running things, he'll let him know that.
LBJ's wife could change things, or he could somehow overlook the big whiff that has occurred in Miami to upgrade the team, but other then that I don't see a better basketball move then Phoenix. But I actually don't think it's too much of a shot. Miami's done nothing, and LBJ's wife already moved from Cleveland to Miami, so leaving Miami wouldn't be leaving Cleveland, and it's clear she could stop him from moving from Cleveland to Miami to begin with. So while it might be a factor, she's been overruled before and could easily again.
Though somehow the Lakers are in the mix again, but also could easily lose Gasol and perhaps that whole option implodes.
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KloD
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Yes, the whole Lakers being involved bothers me. History suggests we are gonna get left behind because of them. But, Gasol isn't going back without Melo or Lebron and Kobe's contract just kills them as far as adding depth. That and Nash's contract works for us too. Sure they may be able to unload it, but not without giving up assets (picks) or I guess they could cut him, but still they wouldn't have much depth. I'd like their chances more if it were daddy still running the club or they had been able to retain Jackson in some role. But, having past their primes Kobe and Gasol just isn't that attractive to a guy looking to win Championships I have to believe.
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the Lakers being in the running is nothing more then media rabble rousing, IMO James ain't EVER going to play second fiddle to Kobe. No way, no how.
chickenhead
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I wonder if the Suns are mentioning the upcoming Super Bowl in their pitches to free agents. (Not that we know how much the Suns will be in town that week, or what appearances will be available).
U of P also hosts the NCAA football title game the following year. Obviously some of these players can make the games and festivities no matter where they play, but it's some ammunition in the big market/happening city discussion.
U of P also hosts the NCAA football title game the following year. Obviously some of these players can make the games and festivities no matter where they play, but it's some ammunition in the big market/happening city discussion.
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One can only imagine how much money the proposed casino by the Southern Arizona's Tohono O'odham tribe (near Glendale's sports and entertainment district) would make if it were open and running.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/news...-tohono-oodhams-bid-glendale-casino/12208563/
SO91
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I like what Stephenson brings to the table, but you're not getting him for 8mil/year. He'll want and probably get 11-12 at least from some team IMO.
overseascardfan
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With Lebron's agent meeting with LA Friday, I think he covering his bases before returning to MIA. I think PHX's FA options will come down to Deng, Stephenson (if Dragic gets dealt maybe for a S&T player) and maybe Carlos Boozer on cap friendly deal since he is getting paid by CHI. I don't think Frye comes back cheap, he's generating interest from a lot of teams.
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That sure sounds like a step in the wrong direction to me.
As for Lebron, I think his agent is covering bases although it might not be so much about this season. If Miami shows even minimal improvement he'll probably sign for another season and re-visit this next year if he's not happy with their efforts. Meeting with the Lakers and a few other organizations is prudent given he might be doing this all over again in 12 months.
Steve
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I don't think I'd worry about that. I'm pretty sure the agent already knows all these guys so meeting with them isn't really going to change much. If it came to selling, I'd give Cuban a big edge over Sarver too but I think we have more to sell right now unless we're just looking at a one year situation.
Steve
